Sunday, July 28, 2013

CHANGE IN MY LIFESTYLE- Exercising my way to a new life

Going for a preventive health check-up was an impulsive decision last year in March-2012. I was sensing some discomfort in my overall fitness and well-being. Finally, the trend to go for a preventive health check-up caught on me.I was never so unfit in my life. I have a past of a sportsman. I did some rigorous cycling during my college days. My fitness levels were- weighed 65 Kg (for a 5ft 10 inch height); heart beat in resting stage was 60 beats per minute (indicative of the stamina); cycled some 3000 km in a month.

Today, 15 years hence, I had enrolled myself (unknowingly, just like others) in the rate-race club. While getting my love was my decision, rest all events in my life unfolded, as if they were freebies with that one decision of mine. However, no excuses on my laziness and negligence. I WAS RESPONSIBLE and I AM RESPONSIBLE for my health and fitness.

My test reports were out in a day's time and was shocked to note that atleast five readings across lipid profile, liver function and kidney function test were out of the normal range. Nothing alarming medically though, but shocking to me personally since my body was expected to work for some 40 years more to take care of seven dependents. Outliers in my medical tests may be acceptable to a statistician and a doctor but no way acceptable to me personally.

Finally, I had that one reason to stretch myself to come out of self-created web of reasons of not having enough time to exercise. Since that day, I am awake before alarm goes-off on my mobile phone- Good Morning- at 5:30 am.

I started initially with 2-3 km runs and then exercising at home. I exercised a min of 4 times in a week. First one month was an acclimatizing phase when my metabolism was increased to a level that demanded I ate more and rested post workouts. But resting was not possible. I had to be at work by 10:00 am six days of week.

I was entering a phase where I needed some motivation to continue my new routine. I tried hard to restrict my diet to multiple but short bites during office hours. I kept narrating my workouts with my colleagues to ensure their encouragement kept me to go-on.

Then my dream of being back to cycling once again turned out to be a reality. One Sunday evening despite having fever my wife accompanied me to buy a racing bike.

That night, I could not sleep. I lived through my past life 15 years back, when I cycled. I could not wait for the morning alarm to go-off. First day, I cycled on my new Canondale cadd 8 series was Jun 29 2012. I covered some 32 km at 20.5 km/hr i.e. I took some 1:33:51 hrs to cover the distance. Compared to that, today, I average around 27 km/hr for same distance and same route of cycling.

Since my first day of cycling, after a chasm of 15 years, I have covered some 3,776 km at an average speed of 26.1 km/hr. I have burnt some 128,132 kcal in total. So after such an effort and with a balanced lifestyle, I do not have the urge to redo my medical tests. I have lost some 12 kg of fat and reduced waist size from 38 inches to 33 inches.

June 29 2013 was the first day of my workout recorded on the sports-tracker app. Today, I covered 48 km on same Gurgaon-Faridabad road and despite being a humid and hot day was averaging 26 km/hr.

I aim for competitive cycling now in my age group. I am assured that I have managed to change my lifestyle permanently but will not take it for granted. Today, I can cycle for some 40 km in morning and still me active through out the day. I have the luxuries to break rules of a controlled dieting over weekends. I sleep deep and sound. I am happy and less stressed. I have been impressing people around me with my new hobby and fitness levels. My wife is the first one to adopt the new regime in her life as well, easy for her since she has been a great swimmer through out her life. Since then, I have impressed upon my father and my chacha ji to buy a bicycle.

I intend to impress upon others as well- known or strangers- take-up fitness route to life.